Spring sash balancer



June l, 1954 C. C. AMY

SPRING SASH BALANCER Filed April 27, 1951 ATTD RN EYS Patented June 1, 1954 TENT OFFICE SPRING SASH BALANCER Christopher C. Amy and Harry B.Harding, Reno, Nev.

Application April 27, 1951, Serial No. 223,406

1 Claim. l

This invention relates to a window construction, and more particularlyto a sash balancer for a window.

The object of the invention is to provide a spring sash balancer whichwill effectively retain the window sashes immobile in their variousadjusted positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring sash balancerwhich can be mounted in a conventional window or a window havingremovable sashes, the balancer of the present invention enabling thewindow sashes to be raised with ease, and wherein accidental lowering ofthe sashes is prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring sash balancerwhich is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a window, showingthe sash balancer of the present invention installed therein;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the windowconstruction, with parts broken away and in section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevational view of the windowsash, showing the balancer of the present invention therein;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown a windowconstruction wherein the frame includes the stops I0 that are verticallydisposed and which may be fabricated of any suitable material. Thewindow further includes the usual casing II and window sills I2. Thereis further provided a pair of spaced parallel, vertically disposed sidejambs I4 and I5. The rst jamb I4 is provided on its inner face with apair of recesses I6 and I1, Figure 1, and arranged contiguous to theinner face of the first jamb I4 is a metal jamb liner I8. The liner I3in cludes an intermediate iiat portion I9 and a pair of curved portions20 which seat in the recesses I6 and I'I.

Mounted for sliding movement or up-anddown movement in the window frameis a lower window sash 2I and an upper sash 22. Since each of thesesashes 2| and 22 is of the same construction, only one will be describedin detail. The upper sash 22 includes a pair of spaced parallel siderails 23 and 24, and extending between these siderails and securedthereto is a window pane or glass 25. The side rail 23 is provided witha longitudinally extending shoulder 26 on its outer surface which ridesor slides in the curved portion 20 of the liner I8.

The other jamb I5 is provided with a plurality of spaced parallel,longitudinally extending grooves or cutouts 2'I which denne therebetweenwebs or fingers 28. The outer face of the side rail 24 is bifurcated orprovided with a cutout or groove 29, and this cutout 29 defines a pairof fingers or tongues 30 which slide in the cutouts 2l, the web 28projecting partially into the cutout 29.

Arranged in each of the cutouts 29 is the spring sash balancer whichserves to maintain the window sashes immobile in their various adjustedpositions, the spring sash balancer being indicated by the numeral 3l.The spring sash balancer 3| includes a rst plate 32 that may be made ofany suitable material, such as spring metal, and the plate 32 includes acentral flat portion 33 which is arranged contiguous to the adjacentsurface of the side rail 24. The plate 32 is further provided with anoutwardly bowed iiexible portion 34, and there is further provided asecond outwardly bowed flexible portion 35. The bowed portion 35 isarranged above the flat lower end 36 of the plate 32. These features areshown clearly in Figure 2.

The spring sash balancer further includes a spring member 31 whichincludes a central portion 33 that is iiat, the central flat portion 38being provided with a slot 39. A suitable securing element, such as ascrew 40, projects through the slot 39, through the plate 32, and intothe side rail 24. The slot 39 permits the spring member 31 to slide upand down relative to the plate 32. 'I'he spring member 31 is furtherprovided with an upper flexible bowed portion 4I and a lower bowedportion 42, the portions 4I and 42 slidably engaging the web 28.

In use, the spring sash balancer of the present invention will serve tomaintain the lwindow sashes immobile in their various adjustedpositions. It is to be understood that one of the spring sash balancersis provided for each of the window sashes. Thus, the spring sashbalancer 3| will maintain the upper sash 22 immobile in its adjustedposition and will not interfere with normal manual raising or loweringof this Window sash. When the window sash 22 is not moving or when it isstationary, the bowed portions 4| and 42 of the spring member 31 willbear against the web 28 to prevent accidental sliding movement of thesashes. Then, when the window sash 22 is raised, the spring member 37will slide Kdownwardly relative to the plate 32. Thus, the atintermediate portion 33 and the lower iat portion 36 of the plate 32will permit the ends of the spring member 37 to move downwardly alongthe plate 32, so that the window sash 22 can be easily ,t

raised. However, to prevent accidental lowering of the window sash 22,it will be seen that not only do the bowed portions 4i and 42 bearagainst the webs 28, but also the ends of the spring member 3l willengage the bowed portions 434 and 35 during the lowering movement. Thus,during lowering of the window sash `22, the bowed portions 34 and 35will help increase tension or Aprovide resistance against this loweredmove ment. The window sash 22 can be readily removed if desired bymanually moving the window sash 22 to the left, Figure 1, so that thespring sash balancer will be compressed, whereby the right side of thewindow sash 22 can be disengaged from the jamb i4 and removed.

However, it is to vbe understood that the spring sash balancer can beinstalled in various types of windows, and the balancer permits thesashes to be raised with ease, but the baiancers prevent the sashes fromdropping down when wet or dry. The jamb I5 may be of one-piececonstruction, and the liner I8 may be made of metal. The tension on thespring balancer is released when the sash is raised up, and the tensionis increased when the sash is lowered, so that the sash will notaccidentally drop down.

The sash balancer of the present invention further includes a coilspring 43, Figure 2, which serves to increase the tension when the sashis lowered. Further, the spring 43 acts as a safety which insures thatthe spring member 31' will always be pulled upwardly when 'the sash islowered, thus insuring that there will be increased tension when thesash is lowered. One end lof the coil spring 43 is connected to aprojecting portion 45 on the spring member 31, while the other end ofthe coil spring 43 is connected to a portion 44 that projects from theplate 32.

What is claimed is:

In a spring sash balancer, a iirst plate including an intermediate flatportion, the upper end of said plate being provided with a iirstoutwardly extending ilexible bowed portion, a second outwardly bowediiexible portion on said plate spaced from the bottom thereof, a springmember including a central at portion provided with a slot, a securingelement extending through said slot and through said plate, said springmember being provided with a pair of outwardly bowed spring portions forcoaction with the bowed portions or" said plate, and a coil springhaving one end connected to said spring member and its other endconnected to said plate, the ends of said spring member selectivelyengaging the bowed portions of said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS iNumber Name Date 451,826 Koontz May 5, 1891 460,690 Morstatt Oct. 6,1391 1,713,935 Thorsley May 21, 1929 1,772,765 Vincent Aug. 12, 19302,433,835 Beil Jan, 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 441,69?Great Britain Jan. 24, 1936

